234 Years
by maniac's maniac
Summary: It is going to be America's 234th anniversary of the sighing of the Declaration of Independence, and America still needs to invite people to come to his birthday party, but everywhere he goes England is there, completely avoiding America. Why?


234 Years

America stirred in his sleep as he fell off his bed. He landed on the floor with a loud _thud_ and woke up. He looked around his room where he saw the calendar, hanging across the room. He jolted up and grabbed his glasses, that he didn't need to wear, but insisted to, and stared at it. "Oh crap! I need to send out the invitations!" He yelled to himself as he realized that it was third of July, his birthday was tomorrow!

As always, he intended to have a huge party and to invite all his friends and allies to it. This would be the 234th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence was signed, perhaps it was about time for him to appear 20 years old. Though the 4th of July wasn't exactly when he became free of England, it was still a very important day to him, that was the day he made his stand against England official, of course it was also the day two of his fathers died, but that is beside the point. He dressed and gathered the invitations.

America dashed out of his room to join the group of people tiredly going to get breakfast. "Hey America!" he heard a voice from behind call to him. He turned to see two grubby hands trying to grab at his glasses, and knew immediately who it was.

"Oh hey Tex!" America greeted his state, managing to dodge Texas' grabbing. "I see you still want these back." America taunted, playing with his glasses.

"Of course I do! They're mine!" Blindly he attacked America, missed and started to yell at poor Michigan.

America laughed and began to taunt, "Well you know I'm not giving you up any time soon!"

Texas, hearing America came over to him. "You do know I can't see well without my glasses, that you stole."

America kept giggling. "Well you were the one who gave them to me, and cut me some slack we might as well celebrate our independence day in peace and happiness."

"You do know that it isn't necessarily _my_ independence day, and why should I have to go to your house for it anyway? My citizens and I could celebrate all on our own."

"Aww come on Tex! You like me don't you? After all you are one of my children~" America joked.

"You do know why I joined you, right? Have you also forgotten all those times I wanted to secede from you? I have already told you that I am no child of yours, I was raised by Mexico and Spain." For America, Texas has no humor.

"Gosh you're so grumpy this morning Tex! You got some spiders in your jeans or something?" America teased some more.

"Sorry, I'm tired, couldn't sleep last night, and your an hour ahead of me." Texas yawned tiredly.

"Don't you live on a farm or something and so have to wake up at 5:00 a.m. anyway?" America asked.

"Not lately, I've been trying to take a break and sleep in... By the way England was here earlier."

"Really? England? Why?" America asked.

Texas thought for a moment, then smirked evilly. "Well it's my secret, unless you give me back my glasses."

"No!" pouted America running off, as Texas slammed into a wall.

While America was eating his breakfast with his other 50+ 'children' America was wondering why England went to his house earlier, and didn't even bother to wake him up. America sighed, and just figured that he would ask once he gave England his invitation.

After breakfast America gathered up the invitations and went out. The first was addressed to Canada, and since he didn't live too far away America decided to walk to his house. When he came to Canada's house he saw Canada and Cuba talking behind some bushes. America wanted to surprise the two by popping out of the bushes, but then he saw someone else among them. "England?" he asked out loud unintentionally.

The three suddenly turned around to stare at America, quickly England thanked Canada for something and ran off without a word to America. "Good morning America." Canada greeted softly.

"Fuck you, America!" Cuba yelled at America.

"Good morning?" America was confused, that was certainly England, but he didn't even seem to recognize him. "What's with England?"

"What does it matter to you, it doesn't concern you!" Cuba barked.

Canada sighed, "Sorry, America, but it's something private, I have to agree with Cuba here. So, what are here for anyway?"

America quickly pulled out the card addressed to Canada. "I came here to give you this. I hope you'll come."

"What! You're not going to invite me!" Cuba shouted.

America laughed. "Of course not, Commie."

Before Cuba could make a rude remark Canada said, "Thank you, America, may I bring along a date?"

"For you, of course you can." America replied.

"Well see you tomorrow night." Canada waved America away.

The next person to invite was Japan. America decided to drive there. As he came to Asia he saw all the Asian nations talking in a circle. He pulled his car over to a curb and exited the car. As he strolled over to the asian nations he saw some blondes mixed into the group. One person in the group turned to see America, it was Australia. "Ello' mate!" he called out.

All of the asian nations stopped their conversation and turned to America, except for two people. In the back of the group stood England and Japan. Japan and England exchanged something in a brown paper bag. "Hey England!" America shouted at England. England turned to America slowly, seemed to panic, bowed briskly to Japan then ran off quickly. America wanted to give chase, but the Asian nations got in the way.

"Hello, America, what brings you here aru?" China asked fixing a large smile on his face.

"Out of my way! That was England wasn't it!" America tried to force his way past the barricade of Asians, but then Australia got in the way.

"What are you talking about America? England doesn't live anywhere close to here, and why would he be here anyway?" He insisted.

"What? He was right there!" America pointed next to Japan.

"Sorry but that's just me." Japan responded. "I haven't seen England since... the last world meeting"

"But, you gave him a brown paper bag!" America exclaimed.

"What bag?" Japan asked. "Are you okay America?"

America shook his head. "Guess it was just my imagination."

"So why did you come here anyway aru? We do have business to do you know aru!" China nagged.

"Oh yeah!" America exclaimed pulling out the invitations. "I needed to give these out to you." He started to hand out each of the invitations. As he finished he turned to Hong Kong and Australia. "I know you used to be colonies of England, so do you think that lately he's been acting strangely lately?"

They looked at each other then Hong Kong answered, "He's acting pretty normal for an early July, since you know that it was Canada and my birthday on the first, and your birthday is only tomorrow."

"You know how he is around this time, thinking he's a failure of a father and stuff like that." Australia replied.

America laughed. "I guess England doesn't like Julys very much!" then America thought 'maybe he's trying to avoid me because of what tomorrow is.'

America turned away from the group to go back to his car. "America-san," Japan called to him, "where are you going?"

"I have to deliver the rest of the invitations, so I'm going to Europe, I have to hurry because I still have stuff to do at home, and the Europeans are not likely to gather like you were just now." America dashed into his car and shut the door.

China sighed once America drove off. "I hope America doesn't find out."

Japan agreed, "England has been trying so hard to keep it secret, and if America was to find out, especially on the day before his birthday."

"It would ruin everything wouldn't it." Korea said. Everyone else nodded.

America wondered to himself why everyone was being so secretive of England as he kept delivering the invites. Everyone he came to see, England was talking to already. Each time he saw England he tried to chase after him, but was stopped by someone else, whom he gave an invitation. This bizarre pattern continued with Russia, the Baltics, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, and so on. Everybody either denied England being there, or said that it didn't concern him, which America figured were complete lies. Why else would England try to avoid him so much?

Finally he had only two more to give out, to France and England. America thought for a moment wether he should give England his invitation. Then he ran into someone. "Sorry." he muttered to himself, not knowing what to do about England.

"America?" He heard the person's voice say. America looked up and saw that it was France.

"Oh hello France, here." He handed France his invitation.

"America, is something troubling you?" France asked seeing how numbly America greeted him.

America shrugged. "Have you seen England today?"

"No." France answered truthfully.

America looked at France in the eyes. "Really?"

"I haven't seen him at all today, not even once. Why would I want to see that punk anyway?" France reacted scoffing at the mention of England.

America smiled, knowing that someone was telling the truth, but the smile soon faded. "Well England has been avoiding me all day, everywhere I go he's there already, but then he runs off without a word." America began to explain. "Plus no one will tell me what's going on, they either deny it or say that it doesn't concern me, and I know they're lying!"

France thought for a moment then replied, "Well maybe it's something that if you know will hurt you, or England, or both, either that or he thinks you aren't mature enough to handle it, and you aren't worthy to know what it is." France laughed at the second suggestion.

"What!" America exclaimed. "But, what kind of secret would he want to keep from me?"

France shrugged. "It could be anything, after all since tomorrow is your birthday we all have to be careful not to ruin the festive mood."

America thought for a moment and supposed that France was right, but knowing this America still wasn't sure to invite England. He heard a loud beeping noise come from his wrist watch. He looked at it and swore. "I need to get home! Sorry France, but if you do see England please give his this." America handed France England's invitation and dashed home.

France smiled once America had left and asked, "How long have you been hiding there?"

England stepped out into the open and responded, "Sorry, but once I saw America coming here I had to hide, after all I don't want him to find out about it."

France laughed. "This is yours, but I assume that even if he decided not to give you a invite you would have gone anyway."

England nodded taking the invite from France's hand. "So, do you have it?"

France turned to England and nodded. "Oui Monsieur" France handed England a brown paper bag. "It'll be rather large won't it?"

"Yes, but I think he'll like it, especially when winter comes along. It looks like it'll take all night though, why couldn't you have given it to me sooner?" England demanded.

"You can't rush art, mon ami, now I have things to do. Au revior." France said walking away from England.

The next day was America's birthday. The house was packed with countries as well as states. Everyone was there, except for England. "Did you make sure to give it to him?" America asked once he found France, talking to some of his former colonies, among the chaos of the party.

America, do you not trust me?" France asked.

"Well I do trust you, but..."

"Then don't worry about anything! If he wants to come he'll be here." France turned back to his former colonies to speak in rapid French.

America turned away and decided to just enjoy himself until England came.

What seemed to be hours passed, and America completely forgot about England not being there. Finally America was opening presents when England burst into the house. He was panting, he must've ran here. "England! You're here!" America exclaimed skipping over to England and welcoming him inside. "What took you so long?"

England was gasping for breath. "Car... broke down... had to... run. Here." England handed America a rather large box.

Once England had caught his breath America saw that England's eyes were red. "What happened? Your eyes are all red."

"Open your present and I'll tell you." England responded pointing to the tightly wrapped box in America's hands.

America looked at the wrapping of the box, it was covered in a blue paper with an interesting pattern of fairies and unicorns on it. He tore apart the paper and opened the box under it. Inside was what looked like a carefully sewed piece of cloth. "Go on take it out." England urged. America pulled the cloth out of the box, it looked like a large blanket with hand sewn pieces designs and squares.

"It's a... quilt?" America asked as England.

"Look closer." France said to him.

America realized that each and every piece was different, and had a different picture in it. As he looked harder at it he became aware that the pictures on the quilt showed something about him, his history, his hobbies, and practically everything including pictures of his great leaders and scenery of battles. "Wow, how did you..." He looked around and everyone was smiling at him. "No way, you all did this tougher?"

"England was the one who came up with the idea, we just helped!" Italy said enthusiastically.

"With the help of all of us we were able to piece tougher this, in tribute to you." Germany continued.

"But, why did you all decide to do this?" America asked everyone.

"America-san you do know that one way or another you have helped us all in some way. Even if we don't get along with you, or we try to deny it you have always tried to help everyone." Japan explained.

America smiled broadly. "Thank you everyone, especially you, England."

"It was nothing." England said blushing. "After all you are always complaining how cold it gets here in the winter."

The rest of the day passed with ease, as the sun set, the moon rose high into the sky, and it began to become late. As people began to leave America saw England standing alone on a porch outside. "England? What are you doing out here?" America asked seeing England all alone.

England turned to see America, then answered, "Well, I was just thinking."

America leaned on the rail next to England. "What are you thinking about?"

"You know, your revolution, the day I met you and since then." England said starring at the flowers below.

America though for a moment. "You know even during the revolution I have never actually hated you."

England looked at America. "Really?" He looked back across the city that America's house is built in. "I thought you did hate me, because for a time I think I did especially during the war of 1812."

America shook his head. "Well truth be told one of the reasons I declared independence was because I wanted you to acknowledge me, and to be able to love you on my own in my own way."

England smiled. "I have always hated this day because I thought today marked the day that you truly began to hate me. Thank you for telling me that."

America looked down at the flowers. "Well what about you?"

"Me? Well I loved you during the revolution, perhaps that was why I didn't decide to crush you."

"Also remember that France helped me." America noted.

"That too, but by the war of 1812 when I had ordered for Washington burned to the ground I hated you, but I still don't know what came over me at that time, but before that I only loved you. Now I regret hating you that time."

"Why? It's fine with me if you hate me."

"Because, you are... the most precious person in the world to me, and that is why I tried to make something precious, for you."

America blinked. "That is why you made the quilt for me?"

England nodded. "I wanted to make something you could use, something that was important to you, and to make it with my own hands. Obviously it was too much for me to do on my own, but then one of your states mentioned a quilt they got as a child, and how much it meant to them, and so I wanted to do the same, since I wasn't able to when you were a child and I know how cold it can get in the winter, I wanted to help. I got everyone to help me make it and to recreate everything that is you on the cloth, I stayed up all night sewing it tougher."

America smiled and asked, "What did I do to ever deserve this?"

England laughed. "What haven't you done yet? You gave us hope, freedom, democracy, peace, and even the sky itself, nothing is impossible for you once you set your mind to it. Most of all I love you America, more than anything else in the world."

"I love you too, England, now more than ever, even when I was a child, I wish we could be together like this forever."

England reached down and picked one of the small blue flowers at their feet. "As long as I have known you, you have always loved these columbines, do you love me as much as these, even if we wither and die?"

America let out a hearty giggle. "Of course I will, even when a columbine withers and dies it still holds a interesting beauty and form."

England smiled and kissed America on the cheek. "Of course it does. By the way, happy birthday."

Even as years pass and people grow old some things will never change. The warmth of a quilt on a cold winter's night, the sweetness and beauty of flowers on a warm summer's day, the joy of celebration, and the love that two people share. Even as the ages change people, lands, and even the sky there are three words that have been repeated constantly for 234 years on the exact same day, first said soon after the document that affected so many lives was made official and signed, written and drafted by some of the most important people in history. Happy birthday America.

**Author's note: The 4th of july is said to be America's birthday, it marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence (written by Thomas Jefferson, drafted by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin), but America didn't actually become free until the signing of the Treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolution. It was a miracle that America, a militia, won against the strongest military power in the world at the time, of course America had help of France. During the war of 1812 the capitol, Washington D.C. was almost burned to the ground, ironically though a hurricane soon came through the area and killed a lot of British solders and obviously put the fire out. Just a random fact that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the 4th of July 50 years after it was signed, not only that but they were best buddies (despite not talking to each other for 20 years). In this I introduced my only Hetalia OC, Texas. Though it is now a state, Texas was actually it's own country for 9 (?) years and fought for independence against Mexico and won.**

**I apologize on how badly it's written but I did this on a moment's notice and rather hastily, plus this was the only good idea that came to mind.**


End file.
